Photoelectric glossmeter



`May 3l, 1949.y R s, HUNTER i 2,471,750

v PHOTOELECTRIC GLOS SMETER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1948 May 31, 1949. R. s. HUNTER 2,471,750

PHOTQELECTRIC GLOSSMETER Filed Feb. 2o, 194e 2 sheets-sheet z Patented May 3l, 1949 PHOTOELECTRIC GLOSSMETER Richard S. Hunter, Franklin Park, Va., assigner to Henry A. Gardner Laboratory, Inc., Bethesda, Md., a corporation of the District of Columbia Application February 20, 1948, Serial No. 9,910

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a photoelectric glossmeter and more particularly to a glossmeter for measuring the property of a surface, of plane or of irregular configuration, to reflect light.

Studies of the capacity of surfaces to reflect light specularly are important in evaluating mirrors and reflectors for eiciency, and in rating non-metallic materials for gloss and lustrous appearance. Changes in the specular reflection of surfaces are of interest in the study of their resistance to wear or abrasion, to attack by acid or corrosive gases, to weather and/or to other destructive agencies and forces.

In general, the capacityT of any surface to rellect light can be divided into two components. One component consists of specular reflectance, or capacity to reflect rays in the direction of mirror reflection. The other component, diffuse reflectance, consists in capacity to reflect rays uniformly in all directions. In the prior apparatus for measuring specular reflectance, a fairly narrow beam of rays is projected onto a surface, and the rays of this beam reflected in the direction of mirror reection are gathered for measurement relative to the Ibeam of rays incident upon the surface. In making such measurements, it is necessary that insofar as possible the diilusely reflected rays be kept from the light responsive mechanism which responds to specularly rellected rays.

When the surfaces of objects being measured or intercompared for specular reflectance are llat and are each brought to the same position relative to the illuminating beam and light responsive mechanism, it is possible to focus the beam of specularly reflected rays on a small aperture window. Only a very few diffusely reflected rays will pass through such a window and thus the specularly reflected rays are elfectively separated from the diifusely reflected rays.

On the other hand, when the surfaces of the specimen objects are curved or wavy, the specularly reflected rays are deflected by the surface curvatures in amounts and directions that vary with the amount and character of surface curvature. The glossmeters of prior types are not suitable for gloss measurements on such objects since many of the specularly reflected rays are dellected away from the aperture Window and the response obtained from the light sensitive mechanism is a function of surface curvature as well as of specular reflectance.

With many objects possessing curved and wavy surfaces, nevertheless, gloss and specular reflectance are factors for which measurement and (Cl. Z50-41.5)

control are needed. Automobile bodies, radio cabinets, ceramic dishes and porcelain objects are some of the materials of commerce having curved or wavy surfaces whose specular reflectances are of practical interest because of appearance and other factors.

An object of the present invention is to provide gloss-measuring apparatus in which the prior inaccuracies in gloss or lustrous appearance measurements are substantially eliminated. Objects are to provide apparatus for the measurement of the gloss or specular reflectance of curved as well as flat surfaces. Objects are to provide glossmeters of the type stated which include elements adjustable to compensate for diffuse reectlon from the surface under investigation and for stray light arising from the imperfect operation of elements of the optical system, whereby the measured values are developed solely by the specularly reflected light rays. Other objects are to provide a photoelectric glossmeters in which the light beam is twice reflected from either a plane or irregular surface and then imposed upon a photoelectric element of a measuring or comparison circuit.

These and other objects and the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanyng drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an exposure head of a photoelectric glossmeter embodying the invention, with substantially the entire side wall broken away for a better View of the optical and photoelectric elements;

Fig. 2 is a schematic View of the same elements, with the energizing and measuring circuits added;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the same transverse plane of Fig. 1 and looking in the directions indicated by arrows 3--3 and 4-4, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the end of a transparent light guide and its adjusting cap; and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are schematic sections of different types of retroreflectors which may be em ployed in the exposure head.

In the drawings, the reference numeral l identilies a sheet metal housing of rectangular form with a removable side Wall l', having a dull black non-reflecting coating on its inner walls, the housing being light-tight except for an elongated opening 2 through the botom wall which is to be placed upon or over the surface of an object 3 unrated from the opening 2 by an apertured plate.

or diaphragm I upon which is mounted a beamsplitter 8, i. e., a thin plastic lm upon which a transparent light-reflecting film of metal 'is deposited. The lower flange of the .diaphragm plate I is secured to the bottom wall of the housing by screws 9, and the angular arrangement of the beam-splitter 8 may be adjusted by screws Il) which are threaded into bushings I I fixed to an end Wall of the housing' I, the diaphragm plate being resilient and-adjusted clockwise by turning in ther adjusting screws Iii. The major portion of the light beam through the aperture of the diaphragm plate 1 passes through a lens I2 mounted upon a partition plate I3 which extends from one side wall to theotherof the housing I and,-as will be explained later, a correction is made fory stray light resulting from dust in the beam-splitter 8 and imperfect absorption of the bla-ckpainted elements adjacent to the beamsplitter.

The lens I2 projects the light beam upon the surface of the test object 3-, and a retroreflector I4 of vone of thetypes Widely used on highway signs andftruck .markers is mounted within the housing I to receive theflight beam specularly reflected from the-surface of the test object. The retroreflector I4 is of relatively large surface area to intercept all light rays specularly reflecte'd from the surface, whether plane, curved or wavy, of the test object 3. Each light ray reversed in direction by the retroreflector Iii returns to strike that .portion of the test surface from which it was initially reected, `and that part of the returned ray which is specularly reflected a second time-from the vtest surface vreturns over its initial path through the lens I2 towards the lamp. Part of `the beam of returningrays vis reflected laterally, however, by the flat beam-splitter 8 toform a twice-specularly reilected beam of rays .converging upon a small aperture I of apartition wall i5 which is secured to Iand cooperates with the main partition I3 to form a casing for a current-generating photoelectric cell I'I. An image o-f the filament of the lamp- 5 is formedv at the aperture, althoughr in practice this image is somewhat blurred by failure "of theretroreflector exactly to reverse each ray striking it and possibly also by the manner in which the surface of the test object :t blurs the specularly reflected beam. The electrical response of the photoelectric cell I'i is of course proportional to the intensity of the light beam whichreaches the cell through the aperture I5.

The major portionV of this light beam is the tWice-specularly reected beam of rays, and a more'or less accurate measurement of the :spec-l ular reectio'n characteristics of the test-objects may be had with the elements, as so far described, ofthe gloss-measuring apparatus. HoweVenand as illustrated, additional elements are preferably provided to compensate for diffuse reflection.

from the test surface and for stray light.

Some' light rays which are diffusely reflected from the .surface of the test object 3 will travel along the same paths as the specularly reected r-ays and thus will pass through the aperture I5 to impinge upon the test photoelectric cell, and such diffusely reflected rays would, if not compensated, result in a too high indication of the gloss of a white or light colored test obj ect. Fortunately, however, the light diffusely reflected from a .surface is characterized by the fact that its spread or distribution from the reflecting surface is quite uniform in all directions. It is therefore possible to develop a current proportional to diffuse reflection by a compensating photoelectric cell I3 positioned within the housing above the opening 2 and test object 3. As will be explained later, the current output of the cell vI8 is: subtracted from the current output of the test photoelectric cell I'I, and the magnitude of the compensating current component vmay be adjusted by turning a vane i9 to shield more or less of the photocell I8 from light renected from the. object l3.

The beam-splitter 8 is positioned closely adjacent the aperture I5 through which light rays pass to the test photoelectric cell II. The illumination of the beam-splitter by light coming from the lamp 5 is much greater than that due to light returning from the test surface. Some stray light is reflected towards the photoelectric cell Il, both from clust particles on the beam-splitter and from imperfect absorption of the black painted elements adjacent to Atl'iebeam-splitter. If not compensated, this stray light will result in an inaccurate and too high indication of the gloss ofthe test object. Compensation may be effected by illuminating the compensating photocell I8 to develop-a current component equal to that resulting from the stray light illumination of the test photocell Il, for example, by means of a transparent plastic rod il which extends through the diaphragm plate 'I and partition I3 to transmit light from the lamp 5to the photocell I8. The inlet end of the rod adjacent the lamp 5 is of such'areaas to collect substantially more light rays than fmay beirequired to 4com-L pensate for stray light incidentfupon the test photocell Il', and the light transmittedto the photocell is reduced to appropriate v-alue by appropriate adjustable means. The rod 20 is pref.- erably of circular cross-section and it is convenient to adjust the light transmissionby-applyingA anopaque paint 2da to .one-half the outlet end of the rod, and rotatably mounting upon that end a cylindrical. cap. .2| .having a' semi-circular opening through its end wall, see Fig. 6.

If means, not shown, are provided for venergizing thelamp .5 to establish a constant intensity light beam, the differential. electrical outputs of the test photocell I'I andthe compensating photocell I8 will aiford .a-measure of the gloss of thetest object. It is preferable,.however, to avoid errors arising from variations in the brilliance of the lamp 5 by providing a comparison photocell 22 to receive light rays directly from-the lamp 5, and measure the lgloss of thespecimen in terms of the ratio of the .intensity of the specularly reflected light to that of the light beamincidentupon the.

comparison photocell .22.. The photocell is mountedupon a bracket tthinged. to a strap 24 secured to an end wall of the housing, the bracket and photocell being adjustable clockwise by a pressure screw 25 against the force exerted by a spring 26.

The VVhousing I is preferably. a relatively small casing which is freely movable by means of a handle .21, and encloses, only the -optical andphotoelectric elements of the glossmeter. Circuit connections to the lamp l and to the photocells are established through a cable 28 detachably secured to a cable connector 29 mounted on the housingI I.

The measuring circuit is schematically shown in Fig. 2 as a graduated slide wire resistance or Potentiometer 30 of the order of 100 ohms connected across the comparison photocell 22, and a bucking circuit connection of the test photocell I1 across the sliding tap Sil and one terminal of potentiometer itil by leads 3i, 3 A sensitive galvanometer 32 is connected across the leads 3l, 3l', and a resistor 33 of the order of 8,000 ohms is included in lead 3l between the potentiometer tap 30' and the galvanometer 32. The compensating photocell i8 is connected across the leads 3l, 3l from photocell ll in such sense, as indicated by the polarity symbols, that the current output of the compensating photocell i8 is subtracted from the current output of the test photocell Il.

A heat-absorbing glass filter F is mounted over the comparison photocell 22 by a resilient clip or frame 3d, since the photocell is closely adjacent a:

and continuously brilliantly illuminated by the lamp 5 during use of the glossmeter. A similar filter F may be mounted over the compensating photocell by a resilient frame 35 to reduce the illumination on photocell it to approximately the proper level for compensation.

The apparatus is adjusted or accurate measurements of specular reflectance by placing the housing l over the opening of a so-called black box, setting the tap of potentiometer 30 to exclude all of the potentiometer resistance and then adjusting the rotatable cap 2l on the lighttransmitting rod 2li to obtain a Zero reading at instrument 32. This adjustment corrects for stray light reaching photocell lll from lamp 5 by inadvertent reflection or diffusion from the beamsplitter il. The removable side wall l is then secured in place; the housing l is placed over a panel having a matte surface coating, for example ofa casein paint, which has substantial zero specular reflectance. Some light rays diffusely reflected from the matte surface will usually reach the test photocels l l, and the compensation for such diffuse reflection is effected by adjustingl the vane i9 to obtain a zero reading on the instrument 32. The housing l is then placed over a panel or glass plate of known reectance or gloss, the tap 30' of potentiometer 30 is set at the scale graduation of the known reilectance, and screw 25 is adjusted to move the bracket 23 and the compensating photocell 2 into such position that the instrument reading is zero. These are factory or shop adjustments which, in general, remain good until the lamp 5 burns out and is replaced by a new lamp.

The exposure head or housing i is placed over the article or surface under investigation, and the potentiometer tap 3G is adjusted to bring the pointer of the galvanometer 32 to its central or zero position. The gloss or specular reectance is then read from the graduated scale of the potentiometer 36. It is to be noted that this scale is not linear but square law, since the light rays which reach the test photocell are those which were twice reflected from the test surface. Small differences in gloss are thus readily detected, but in spite of this unusually hi-gh sensitivity, it is not necessary that the test surface be iiat or that it be accurately positioned with respect to the optical system to obtain accurate readings of specunl il lar reflectance or gloss. The new glossinete'r is useful, for example, in measuring the gloss of curved reflectors such as employed in headlights and searchlights.

A number of types of retroreflectors are commercially available for use in glossmeters embodying the invention, and the accuracy of the gloss measurements depends upon the type of retroreflector which is employed. One known type, as illustrated in Fig. 7, consists of a molded plate il of clear plastic, usually methyl methacryla-te, comprising a web of cube corners 38 behind a flat outer surface 39, each cube corner beingI arranged with its apex behind the center of its base. rFilis retroreflector is the most accurate and efficient type of retroreiiector now manufactured commercially, but each light ray striking within a cube corner is displaced laterally within the cutie corner before the ray emerges travelling in reversed direction. The returned ray thus strikes the test surface at a point slightly displaced from that at which it was originally reiiected, and the measured indication of specular reiiection is less accurate than may be 0btained when the returned light rays are incident upon the points of original reflection. The displacement is not as great as is indicated by the illustrated pat of a typical ray, since Fig. '7 is drawn to an enlarged scale. The cube-corner type of retroreflector has the advantage, as compared with other retroreiiectors, of a highly efiicient light transmission and it therefore is advisable to use .such a retroreflector in investigations of the gloss of non-metallic surfaces.

Other types of commercially available retroreiiectors which aiiord a somewhat higher accuracy in the measurement of high reflectance are illustrated schematically in Figs. 8 and 9. For non-metallic materials having relatively low specular reiiectance, however, these retroreiiectors are generally unsuitable because of the very small fraction of the incident light beam which eventually reaches the test photocell even when the surface under investigation is of high i gloss for the particular material of the specimen object. As illustrated in Fig. 8, the retroreiiector comprises a thin and somewhat iiexible sheet 40 of a transparent plastic having an outer surface ll oi minute lenticular form, the diameter of the small convex lens elements being of the order of 0.02 inch, and a smooth rear surface upon which a reflecting metallic iilm l2 of aluminum is deposited. The mean lateral deiiection of the light rays which are reversed in direction by this lens plate type of retrorelector is substantially less than that of the cube-corner type in which the pitch or width of the cube corners may be of the order of from 0.16 to 0.095 inch. A further commercial type of retroreiiector, as shown in Fig. 9, is of flexible sheet or film form and has somewhat the same construction as a ne sandpaper. In place of granules of sand or other abrasive, the outer surface of the retroreflector comprises minute glass beads i3 of a diameter of the order of a few mils, embedded in a thin ilexible film lili of a transparent plastic which is backed by a deposit or coating 4t of a metal or metallic varnish.

For a gloss measuring or control apparatus of general utility, it is preferable to employ the cubecorner type of retroreflector of Fig. 7 to obtain the high sensitivity which is essential for the measurement and/or comparison of the gloss of non-metallic materials, but for apparatus for use in the study of the gloss of only metallic sur- .entrato i? if aces, l:itlis` :preferable 'dto employ .retroreilectors fof zthe'fstypes -wl'iic'h effect a lesser displacement yof theireversely .returned :light rays.

Apparatus embodiments of theinvention afford measurements .of ethe gloss or `specular reflectance -of :plane surfaces andzof curved,wavy or otherwise irregular .'.surfaces v:Other .arrangements have beeniproposed.andused for lthe measurement of thearg'loss fof plane surfaces `but the invention Ais distinguished@from such `prior arrangements in -thatiitiiaffordswcompensation for stray light and -difllusereectionfrom plane surfaces, and in adfditionffit `affords for the rst time accurate measfurement of thespecular reflectance of non-planar :surfaces =Itvis-to be. understood that the invention is not :restricted Ito the `-particular apparatus herein --shownand described since various changes in the fseverfalsparts, .their sizes, shapes and .relative lo- .cations -fallw-ithi-n the spiritand scope of the in- `ventio'nfas set `forth in the following claims.

-Itclaimz l. 4=In aglossrneter, -a source of light, optical means for twice .reflecting light rays from said :alight source fromfthesurfaceof a test object, and afmeasuringsystem including a photoelectric de- Viceipositionediinfthe pathof the light rays twice -reected from thetest object, Yand a second'phou .-toelectric ldevice to compensate for light rays reachingtsaid .lrstfphotoelectric device along i paths other ythan-thoseof .the twice -vrefle'ctecllight rays r2. vIn A.apparatus-.for vinvestigating .the specular reflectancezofia .test object, the combination `Withyinfahousing having an opening for positioning on vorfover the-test` object, of Va light source, optical Ameansffor directing a light beam through said ihousing'fopening and uponthe surface ofthe test B object, a retroreflector positioned to intercept light rays specularly reflected from :the test-object and .to reverse the direction thereof to return the same tothe test object, a `test photoe'lectric the light beam to said housing opening, said beam-splitter having a transparent reective `coating fork directing towards `said test photo- .electric cell the light rays returned by said -retro- .reector to. and speoularly reflected from the test object.

4. In apparatus for investigating the specular reeotance of a test object, the invention as .recited in claim v3, in combination rwith means including a second photoelectric cell to compensate for diffuse reection from the test object.

`5. In apparatus for investigating the specular reectance of a test object, the invention as reoitedin-claim 3, in combination with means yaoljustableto compensate for strayflight incident upon said test photoelectric cell.

6. In apparatus for investigating the 'specular reflectance of a test object, .the Vinvention Yas recited in claim 5, wherein said adjustablecompensating means ,includes a light-transmitting rodhaving an inlet end adjacent said lightsource and an .outlet end directed towards said .compens/ating photocell7 and means adjustable yto vary Il .the light transmission through `said rod to said `compensating photocell.

RICHARDS. HUNTER,

No references cited. 

